


to dream is to forget

by Patricia_Sage



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Campaign: Balance (The Adventure Zone), Character Death, Dreams and Nightmares, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Good Friend Magnus Burnsides, Good Friend Taako (The Adventure Zone), Hurt, Hurt Taako (The Adventure Zone), Hurt/Comfort, Magnus Burnsides Angst, Magnus Burnsides-centric, Memory Loss, Nightmares, Spoilers for Episode: e060-066 The Stolen Century Parts 1-7, Taako Angst (The Adventure Zone), Temporary Character Death - The Stolen Century (The Adventure Zone)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:46:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28484829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Patricia_Sage/pseuds/Patricia_Sage
Summary: The feelings from the nightmare linger, sitting uncomfortably in his throat. But as Magnus tries to put it into words, he realizes all the details are gone. He knows he lost someone, and it hurt like Hell, but he can’t recall who or where or why. “I can’t remember,” he admits.Taako hums sympathetically. “Those dreams are the worst.”
Relationships: Julia Burnsides/Magnus Burnsides, Magnus Burnsides & Merle Highchurch, Magnus Burnsides & Merle Highchurch & Taako, Magnus Burnsides & Taako, Merle Highchurch & Taako
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25





	to dream is to forget

**Author's Note:**

> Happy New Year! You made it to 2021. I'm proud of you.
> 
> Hope you enjoy the story.

The house is bright and cheerful. The angry witch who lives there doesn’t seem to match her surroundings. She has the Light of Creation hidden somewhere, and Magnus regrets that they were the ones to find her. Barry, Lup, Lucretia, and Davenport are exploring somewhere on the West side of the island while Magnus, Merle, and Taako are here. Tactfully working through a sensitive situation isn’t the strong suit of a group of men who sometimes call themselves the Tres Horny Boys.

She’s furious. Merle approaches with hands up in a placating gesture. “Well, uh, listen… Sharon, was it?”

“Shandiva." She spits her name at him. He isn't bothered.

“Shandiva. We know that you’re pissed but we really need that Light.” Magnus wonders, not for the first time, why Merle is their designate to occasionally parlay with the Hunger. If this is his best diplomacy at work, then everyone is doomed. 

Her laughter is cold, and her response is sarcastic. “Oh, yes, I’m going to just _give_ you my most prized possession…after you killed one of my husbands!”

Taako interrupts Merle’s flustered attempt at a response. “Seriously, lady, I know this looks sketch as hell, but we didn’t kill him. We were super framed.”

“Yes!” Merle agrees. He straightens his belt the way he does when he’s proud of himself. “And we will help you find the killer! In exchange for the Light.” It’s a pretty good plan.

Shandiva walks around the table, leaning heavily on her cane. She looks at them from under her hat. “You’ve all got a few husbands and wives at home.”

“We don’t,” Magnus informs her.

“And you know how things work around here.”

“We don’t,” he repeats.

She shakes her head, almost sadly. “An eye for an eye… You take one of my husbands; I’ll take one of yours.”

Taako speaks up, “Do you know how that phrase actually ends, Shandiva? Because it’s not –” He’s cut off with an awful, strangled sound. Magnus turns and sees blood coating the elf’s teeth and trickling down his chin. Taako’s dark eyes meet Magnus’s and he looks confused for a second before his expression transforms into panic. He looks at his shaking, bloodstained hands, choking like he can’t breathe. More blood pours from his lips and seeps into the front of his flowing, satin shirt.

The witch laughs cruelly as Magnus rushes to catch Taako in his arms. The elf’s hands clutch at his shirt while Magnus’s heart breaks and helplessness sets in. “Merle!” Magnus shouts. When he looks over his shoulder briefly, he notices the witch escaping out the back door of the house. He doesn’t give a shit. Her time will come.

Merle sprints over on his short legs and places his hands gently on Taako’s shoulders. Magnus is kneeling now with Taako cradled as gently as possible against his chest. A soft, green light emanates from Merle’s hands and sinks into the wizard’s sternum. Taako can breathe now, but only slightly. He’s still coughing and shaking in Magnus’s arms. His hat lies discarded at their feet.

“I can’t…” Merle says, voice breaking slightly. “The curse is blocking me.”

“No, Merle, come on!” Magnus protests. He gently pushes Taako’s hair away from his face. There’s so much blood soaking both of their shirts.

“I can’t, Magnus!”

There’s nothing they can do but watch their friend spasm and cough, an awful and instinctual fear in his eyes. It feels like he’s been suffering for hours. Magnus keeps stroking his hair. Merle holds his left hand.

Taako reaches up with his right and touches the scar under Magnus’s eye. He manages to speak. “Tell Lup…”

But then his hand falls from Magnus’s face and his expression goes blank.

Magnus feels fire surge through his veins. He stands up with a roar –

– and wakes up tangled in blankets in his dorm room at the Bureau of Balance. For a second, all he feels is an overwhelming combination of terror, grief and anger, and all he can do is clutch at his chest and breathe. And then someone speaks, and the feelings of the dream fade to a dull ache.

“Hey, big guy. You okay?”

Magnus looks up and sees Taako standing in the doorway, silhouetted by the light of the hallway. He’s still wearing the clothes he wore on the train yesterday, but they’re uncharacteristically rumpled. Magnus imagines they weren’t the comfiest clothes to sleep in.

“Sorry, dude,” Magnus says. His breathing has evened out, but his heart is still beating against his ribs. The dream was terrible, awful enough that he had obviously been shouting in his sleep. Taako must have heard him from the living room where he had passed out on the couch. 

“S’all good, my man, happens to the best of us.” There’s a slightly awkward pause where Taako leans against the doorframe, glancing around Magnus’s room while the fighter catches his breath. They’ve only known each other for a few weeks but the silence is amicable enough. The wizard shrugs. “Wanna talk about it?”

“I –” The feelings from the nightmare linger, sitting uncomfortably in his throat. But as Magnus tries to put it into words, he realizes all the details are gone. He knows he lost someone, and it hurt like Hell, but he can’t recall who or where or why. It’s a good guess that it was about Julia…but Magnus is intimately acquainted with those dreams, and this one felt different. “I can’t remember,” he admits.

Taako hums sympathetically. “Those dreams are the worst.”

“You too?”

Taako shrugs. “Sometimes. It feels so real, right? But then you wake up and…nothing.”

“Yeah.”

Taako gives him a soft, sympathetic smile, and Magnus marvels at the intimacy of this late night chat. The elf is usually all hard edges, prideful and sarcastic. He’s a lot of fun to be around, but Magnus is enjoying this quiet side to him, too. There’s comfort in a friendly conversation, and the last of the panic from his dream seeps away.

“Want some tea?” Taako asks.

“Sure, thanks.”

“Make it yourself.” Taako flips him off, smiling, and walks away. Magnus chuckles and swings his feet out of bed.

He does have to make his own tea, but Taako keeps him company…at least until he falls asleep on the kitchen table, almost mid-sentence. Magnus finishes his cup of chamomile and then gently picks up the wizard to carry him to bed.

He passes Merle on his way to Taako’s bedroom. The dwarf blinks at them from the bathroom doorway. “Hey, what’s goin’ on?”

“Go to sleep, old man.”

As he takes off Taako’s pointy boots before covering him with a blanket, Magnus marvels at how a place like this could feel like home. He hasn’t let himself get truly close to anyone since the tragedy at Raven’s Roost. But spending time with Taako and Merle feels right…like they’re family.

Magnus shuts off the kitchen lights before returning to his room. He sleeps soundly until morning.

**Author's Note:**

> If you had any thoughts or feelings reading this story, please tell me! There are few things in this world that make me happier than reading your comments. 
> 
> P.S. You can find me on Tumblr - patriciasage


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